IT career training track advice desired

[flhrci]

GOAL: Cyebrsecurity, US Governemnt

ME: Nearly age 47, not currently CFI'ing, working for a high-volume pharmacy while going to community college for Cybersecurity Assoc which contains 3 classes of Cisco CCNA type classes.

COMPTIA Security+ is supposed to be the desired beginner certification for for Federal jobs. I am in a crummy Network+ class right now which is geared toward COMPTIA Network+. I say it is crummy because they are concurrently teaching Network+ and Microsoft Server 2012/R2 at the same time in a shortened 11 week summer term. The 1st 4 weeks had us reading 4 chapters from 2 e-books and a lot of not so related homework per week. Now we are down to 2 chapters per week and a lot of online-labs and terms papers until it ends the 1st week of August. Most of us are failing cause of all this. I hopefully will be able to at least get a C out of it. Autumn starts "Introduction to Cisco Networks."

I think I am just about able to pass the COMPTIA A+ test and possibly with some studying after this term is over, the Network+. Should I bother or just go whole hog into Cisco everything this fall?

I have seen conflicting information on which way to go from videos to reading. Have read A+ will be a waste of time. And are the Cisco Learning website and Cisco Press courses the way to go or are there better? I don't have a lot of cash. I am barely living payday to payday and the VA is paying for the schooling and will pay for some certification exams, after I pass.

Need advice while I can still make a change on direction. The more I explore the more I learn and question which way to go.

Thanks!

David

 

[steingar]

Last I checked you were, like me, in East bumphuck Ohio. How much Federal security work is really hereabouts? I can tell you, I'm willing to bet less than CFI work, for which you are entirely qualified. If you can't relocate for CFI work how are you going to do so for a Federal Cybersecurity gig?

 

[John221us]

Get any IT job you can and start getting some experience. Experience counts way more than certifications. Get your foot in the door and then be ambitious and grow your skills. Don't get wedged into a siloed job/skill set (doing just one thing for a large company, like backups or email Spam management). Get a job that lets you touch a lot of different things.

 

[flhrci]

Last I checked you were, like me, in East bumphuck Ohio. How much Federal security work is really hereabouts? I can tell you, I'm willing to bet less than CFI work, for which you are entirely qualified. If you can't relocate for CFI work how are you going to do so for a Federal Cybersecurity gig?

DSCC in Whitehall and Cleveland DFAS have those jobs and they pay very very well. I have two medical issues that are now keeping grounded any way so flying is out possibly a few years.

I am sick of being working poor and there is decent money in IT. An IT job in aviation would be nice but unlikely. I am getting the training mostly paid for.

I gave up on a flying career in August of 2016 due to unforeseen circumstances and being broke all the time.

David


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rushie]

Wow, I wish I were only 47. I would say, whatever you do, do not go into debt to go to school. I like John's idea to get any job with anything to do with IT if you can. It's borderline whether you can start a whole new career at this age and still make it to retirement comfortably. But possible. If you can manage it, a Federal job is nice, good benefits for retirement, assuming the country stays intact. If security clearance is an issue, even more important not to have unreasonable debt.

 

[flhrci]

Wow, I wish I were only 47. I would say, whatever you do, do not go into debt to go to school. I like John's idea to get any job with anything to do with IT if you can. It's borderline whether you can start a whole new career at this age and still make it to retirement comfortably. But possible. If you can manage it, a Federal job is nice, good benefits for retirement, assuming the country stays intact. If security clearance is an issue, even more important not to have unreasonable debt.

Already been in debt for pilot certs for years. Thanks for the advice.

David

 

[eman1200]

Get any IT job you can and start getting some experience. Experience counts way more than certifications. Get your foot in the door and then be ambitious and grow your skills. Don't get wedged into a siloed job/skill set (doing just one thing for a large company, like backups or email Spam management). Get a job that lets you touch a lot of different things.

This is solid advice.

 

[steingar]

I have two medical issues that are now keeping grounded any way so flying is out possibly a few years.

David, I'm really sorry to hear. But if you do want to get back up in the air (as Bruce says, aviation is like Herpes) I will be happy to get you there. I and my aircraft are standby by for your assistance.

 

[ACG]

Check out federal jobs at https://www.usajobs.gov in your area. Check with your community college to see if they have placement services with any federal agency. If you are able to get a federal job you will probably start out at a low grade. But, if you do a good job you will shine and quickly get promoted especially if you are willing to move.

 

[TCABM]

If you’re serious about federal IT work, you need to get familiar with the GS system. IT work has its own series, GS-2200.

Info on the series:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-ove...schedule-positions/standards/2200/gs2200a.pdf

If you’re looking at any contract or GS position that supports DOD, you’ll also need to know what certain are required. That’s found in DOD 8570.

https://iase.disa.mil/iawip/pages/iabaseline.aspx

The best bang for your buck is Security+ as that cert qualifies you for anything that A+ and/or Net+ would qualify you for and opens up multiple tracks for you at the entry level.